It is produced by kneading raw pine burnt soot and animal glue so that the dispersion of the carbon particles is constricted. The opaqueness gives thickness and strength to the color of sumi and features lightness and grace. It can create the effect to differentiate the shin (the core, the stroke by the brush) and the nijimi (the blurring around the shin) thereby to create a three-dimensional effect. It has a complex and graceful tone with bluish purple opaque warmth and austere elegance. The raw pine burnt soot is a higher grade ingredient, but this ink stick is the only one among Hyakusenboku Ink Sticks that expresses this bluish purple tone so clearly. It can be used with any shade of black, thick, middle, or thin black, for Kanji (Chinese characters), Shosuji (two or several characters), Kana (Japanese syllabary characters), and Suibokuga (ink-wash painting)As the years go by, the ink stick will also grow and its properties and characteristics will become more distinctive. Manufactured in 1987.